Chapter III · Registration procedure

Article 32 Documentary evidence

Artigo 32.º · Prova documental

Código do Registo Comercial · Decree-Law No. 403/86 · consolidated text checked 26 October 2026

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1. Only facts set out in documents that legally evidence them may be registered.

1 - Só podem ser registados os factos constantes de documentos que legalmente os comprovem.

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2. Documents written in a foreign language may only be accepted when translated in accordance with the law, unless they evidence facts subject to registration by transcription, are drawn up in English, French or Spanish and the competent official has a command of that language.

2 - Os documentos escritos em língua estrangeira só podem ser aceites quando traduzidos nos termos da lei, salvo se titularem factos sujeitos a registo por transcrição, estiverem redigidos em língua inglesa, francesa ou espanhola e o funcionário competente dominar essa língua.

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3. Without prejudice to the preceding paragraphs, translations made in accordance with the law, into any official language of the European Union, of documents relating to acts subject to registration may be filed in the folder of the entity subject to registration, on terms to be laid down by order (portaria) of the member of the Government responsible for justice.

3 - Sem prejuízo do disposto nos números anteriores, podem ser depositadas na pasta da entidade sujeita a registo traduções, efectuadas nos termos da lei, de documentos respeitantes a actos submetidos a registos, em qualquer língua oficial da União Europeia, em termos a definir por portaria do membro do Governo responsável pela área da justiça.

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4. Documents archived with Public Administration services may be used to effect registrations by transcription, in which case they must be identified in the application.

4 - Os documentos arquivados nos serviços da Administração Pública podem ser utilizados para a realização de registos por transcrição, devendo tais documentos ser referenciados no pedido.

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5. For the purposes of the preceding paragraph, the registry office shall be reimbursed by the filing party for the expenses arising from payments due to the entities referred to in the preceding paragraph.

5 - Para efeitos do disposto no número anterior, o serviço de registo é reembolsado pelo apresentante das despesas resultantes dos pagamentos devidos às entidades referidas no número anterior.

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6. Without prejudice to the competence to certify photocopies conferred by law on other entities, for the purposes of online commercial registration of acts concerning commercial companies or civil companies in commercial form, their managers, directors and secretaries may, when they request such registration, certify that the electronic documents they submit through the website conform to the original paper documents.

6 - Sem prejuízo da competência para certificação de fotocópias atribuída por lei a outras entidades, para efeitos de registo comercial online de actos sobre sociedades comerciais ou civis sob forma comercial os respectivos gerentes, administradores e secretários podem, quando os promovam, certificar a conformidade dos documentos electrónicos por si entregues, através do sítio na Internet, com os documentos originais, em suporte de papel.

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7. Communications received through the system of interconnection of registers of the European Union make it unnecessary to submit additional documentary evidence of the facts contained in them.

7 - As comunicações recebidas através do sistema de interconexão dos registos da União Europeia dispensam a apresentação de prova documental adicional dos factos nelas contidos.

What we checked in this article

The rule that only documented facts are registrable, the translation requirement and its English/French/Spanish exception for transcription registrations, filing of EU-language translations, use of documents held by public services with reimbursement, self-certification by managers, directors and secretaries for online registration, and the EU registers interconnection rule are retained.

Registering an act under Article 32?

We file registrations at the commercial registry for foreign-owned companies: incorporations, share transfers, manager changes, capital changes, branches, filing of accounts and closures. In English, fixed fees, with the registry fee shown separately.

Unofficial English translation prepared by BCA Portugal for reference. Only the Portuguese text published in the Diário da República has legal force. Editorial notes are ours and are not part of the statute.

Applying the law

Registry work in Portugal, done right the first time

A refused or provisional registration costs weeks. We prepare the documents the registrar expects, file them and follow the application until it is definitive.

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